maltedfalcon

and then
if the coast lines up her eyes are looking east along a line that contains a park
called humboldt park.
one of the larger older parks in Milwaukee –
it has a band shell or a concert area…
Just a wild guess on my part.  -so who lives near Milwaukee?

Woo!  Good to see that there’s some activity again.  I said this in the verse thread, but I
did
live right near Milwaukee and just moved.  I’ll be passing by there once a month or so though so I plan to make a trip there again to check things out.

MrBackstop

And realize something pretty simple here, Priess would have had his high visibility vest or hard hat or something like that that he mentioned before. This would not have brought any attention to him in ’81 much less now with the number reversed. Think about it, how many times do you worry or think twice about what a construction, or power company, or or water worker in your town is doing? I never pay attention to those workers and what they are doing.

I’m in this camp. Sure digging a giant hole in a very public place seems alarming. But it’s like murder: The first time is super-nerve-wrecking, but then (if you get away with it) it gets incredibly easier after that. Don’t know how we’d ever figure this out, but I’d bet at least one of the last few casks Preiss buries were in a really visible place.

ill say it…youre wrong (sorry backstop lol)

MrSeabass

NO go to AJ Bomber’s on Knapp/Water and shovel the best fired cheese curds in the world into your mouth.

Damnation!!!
I didn’t go there a few weeks ago when Mrs EZ and I were in Lake Park, seeing where AP used to dig.
Maybe our next trip, I’ll convince her to go there.
Will bring a mini-tile probe to poke the curds, before shoveling.

I am currently in Milwaukee and have been scouting around Lake Park. Here is a partial photo of the Water Tower. I really doubt that the casque was buried here. The tower sits in the middle of a very busy traffic circle and several intersections. I was surprised how close it actually is to Lake Park though. The Water Tower is a really cool building.

Since you’re there at the water tower, walk across the street to see the nifty park and the fountain with plaques from around ’68. You can see depressions on the ground where trees or bushes used to be.
(Nope….I don’t think the casque is there, either.)

MrSeabass

NO go to AJ Bomber’s on Knapp/Water and shovel the best fired cheese curds in the world into your mouth.

Good info!

That damn fence is still there? The casque should be the right edge in your photo between the tower (Southern Foot) and the bush.
And realize something pretty simple here, Priess would have had his high visibility vest or hard hat or something like that that he mentioned before. This would not have brought any attention to him in ’81 much less now with the number reversed. Think about it, how many times do you worry or think twice about what a construction, or power company, or or water worker in your town is doing? I never pay attention to those workers and what they are doing.

MrBackstop

That damn fence is still there? The casque should be the right edge in your photo between the tower (Southern Foot) and the bush.
And realize something pretty simple here, Priess would have had his high visibility vest or hard hat or something like that that he mentioned before. This would not have brought any attention to him in ’81 much less now with the number reversed. Think about it, how many times do you worry or think twice about what a construction, or power company, or or water worker in your town is doing? I never pay attention to those workers and what they are doing.

I’m not saying you are wrong, but I am just not feeling it. It is sufficiently far from all of the clues in Lake Park. As is stands, I walked about 3.5 miles from Mitchell Hall through the park, going up the staircase, passing the golf course, the light house, and then back to the parking area near the playground. If this is the path BP wanted us to take, it is extremely long. I just can’t see adding another 1/4 mile or so to get to the Water Tower.

Great stuff Gman. You worked your ass off on this informative search….nicely done.

anus905

you gotta start at the Wisconsin Supper Club bro.
you have to use slightly different yet still valid interpretations to get to one or the other.

Yeah gman…start at ‘the’ supper club…wait for the location to load on the map , after clicking the link.
https://www.wisconsinsupperclubs.net/supperclublocations/

Mister EZ

Yeah gman…start at ‘the’ supper club…wait for the location to load on the map , after clicking the link.
https://www.wisconsinsupperclubs.net/supperclublocations/

That is ironically hilarious. Next time I am in Wisconsin and have 5 years of free time, I’m all over this.

did you follow the verse for this? cause if you start at Mitchell hall you end up at the wrong park (Lincoln Park)…you have to start at the alternate location (reinforced by visual clues) to get to lake park via the verse proper.

I posted both paths using first 7 clues for this, before it was deleted.

you gotta start at the Wisconsin Supper Club bro.
you have to use slightly different yet still valid interpretations to get to one or the other.

…theres only one in the old Mitchell Mansion…

my mistake, its just called the Wisconsin Club…my buddy made a documentary on Wisconsin supper clubs, hence my error lol.
https://www.wisconsinclub.com/fw/main/History-4.html
here youll find the sleeve of the juggler and more lions…

gManTexas

While I was there, I used an app on my phone called GPS Waypoints. With this app you can record a trail and then export into a format that Google Maps and Earth can display. In addition, I linked most of the photos, so you get an icon and preview at the spot where I took the photo.

That’s very cool; thanks gManTexas!

AP, do you think the cloak could just be the shape of the park?  then that little notch in the cloak would be the entrance from lincoln memorial dr. (by the stairs)?
so then you would end up back down by the lighthouse (or across from it)  if you see it like that, right?
have you poked around wolcotts horse’s southern foot? i still like that he had to remove a kidney, thinking of drinking a fifth of liquor (guess that would be a liver?)
i also like that it says “delighted” on there, seems like words BP used
only things on that end are him, the lion bridges and the lighthouse
there is a service bldg. down there too
has the map always had “22” areas to explore, was thinking if BP had the map, maybe he was pointing to “#22        🙂
or the “5”th………the playground?
south =left…………….
on west side when facing north
“at
IT’
s southern foot”
or opposite of north

slappybuns

AP, do you think the cloak could just be the shape of the park?  then that little notch in the cloak would be the entrance from lincoln memorial dr. (by the stairs)?
so then you would end up back down by the lighthouse (or across from it)  if you see it like that, right?

Slappy,
Anything is possible, but I have a hard time seeing the cape/cloak as anything but a tree.
I was recently looking over my photos taken in 2007.  There was a piece of birch limb (about 12 inches in diameter)
on the ground in the woods along the asphalt oval…20-30 feet North of the Girl Scout tree…near the young birch tree.
I did not see it there on my most recent search. It was badly decayed at that time.

In 2007, there was a cut stump not too far away.
I could not identify it as a birch.  When I
used my soil probe, I disturbed a nest of
ground bees.   I did not want to dig into that.

Hello,
I apologize if this has already been mentioned. I had a chance to walk through Lake Park recently, and spent some time walking through all three ravine trails. The North Lighthouse trail appeared to be spot on in terms of the final verses. Access to the base of the bridges on the two other trails (Locust, S. Lighthouse) would put one in “the culvert” already so mentioning the culvert would seem rundundant. The N. Lighthouse trail is the only way to “pass the compass” (unlike the South Lighthouse trail which has an access path in front of the lighthouse), reach the culvert, and then start the 100 paces from below the bridge. BTW, my walk was almost 100 paces exactly from the bridge to N. Lighthouse Trail sign.
The other point I wanted to mention was that there is an exact match of the mill stone in image 10 with a stone drain at the bottom the N. Lighthouse trail.

I have a map…
and it has some streets that are in Milwaukee..
and if I can find the guy that can find
the casque… maybe I can trade him my map… maybe
Sometimes reality sets in and people realize that
they really are not alone and what they say isn’t
just thoughts in their brain.

I looked at the pictures, and I must say that the dirt and grass that he posted look EXACTLY like the dirt and grass from our dig in Milwaukee.

This moron posted finally that he DID NOT find the casque but he will find it in a couple of weeks…….rambled on about being tired of knowing where a treasure is but getting there too late…..and something about the Beale papers…….

Retardulus.

too da#% funny….Retardulus
Not another one of those newbies claiming to have all the answers but no time to retrieve.  I sure hate ppl like that.
As for your question Fenix…..most of the people at 12 working on this hunt are regulars with ties to here.  There are only a few that dont but they dont seem to be playing the “PM me if you want to trade ideas” game.

hmmm,
I was pretty sure that that feature of the image was exactly matched to a wall fountain.
I would have to go back and look.
The window is close, but it is for-shortened in the google map image.
I think this is a co-incidence.

Once again, one of the bridges in Lake Park is being
repaired. They found cracks resulting from erosion
of the ground at the “foot” of the bridge!
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/ … 03441.html

animal painter

Once again, one of the bridges in Lake Park is being repaired.

Before I clicked on the link, I was just assuming that it would be the footbridge that the trucker tried to drive across. But, no! It’s the footbridge over East Ravine Road. Go figure.

As I said, if it weren’t there in 81 it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. The info I got on the Harp Lamps came from 2 sources, “Lake Park Friends” who said the harp lamps were added in the 90’s and when I talked to the supervisor at the Parks department (the same lady AP has been dealing with for 10 years) she confirmed that the harp lamps were a later addition. Also in the old photo’s AP and I retrieved from the historical society you can clearly see the lamps were way different…some just had big opaque globes on them, and others were a curved 70’s looking streetlamp. Even if the posts were there in 81 and only the fixtures were changed, the Masonic G would be on the south side of the staircase. The Ravine Rd. side is the post with the non marked plate. If the compass isn’t the north point lighthouse in this scenario, then I would be looking at weather vanes or something else historical that would have been there in 81. Possibly the vane on the lawn bowling house.

decibalnyc

As I said, if it weren’t there in 81 it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. The info I got on the Harp Lamps came from 2 sources, “Lake Park Friends” who said the harp lamps were added in the 90’s and when I talked to the supervisor at the Parks department (the same lady AP has been dealing with for 10 years) she confirmed that the harp lamps were a later addition. Also in the old photo’s AP and I retrieved from the historical society you can clearly see the lamps were way different…some just had big opaque globes on them, and others were a curved 70’s looking streetlamp. Even if the posts were there in 81 and only the fixtures were changed, the Masonic G would be on the south side of the staircase. The Ravine Rd. side is the post with the non marked plate. If the compass isn’t the north point lighthouse in this scenario, then I would be looking at weather vanes or something else historical that would have been there in 81. Possibly the vane on the lawn bowling house.

Still that is very cool! I never thought about a masonic symbol as the compass, but it totally makes sense. I always thought if he meant weather vane, he would have either said vane or wind-rose. but something like that totally fits. were there any masonic symbols on the stairway itself?

No the staircase itself is fairly plain, no decor at all, just concrete. There used to be a promenade attached to it overlooking the fifth mile track (which isn’t tall or proud) but it was removed pre 1960. The Masonic G’s are on most of the light posts in lake park, and along the lakefront.
See I knew this thing was a conspiracy, the Freemasons have their hands in everything!

decibalnyc

Even if the posts were there in 81 and only the fixtures were changed, the Masonic G would be on the south side of the staircase. The Ravine Rd. side is the post with the non marked plate.

Show us photos, pretty-pretty-please!
Given the symmetry of the staircase, it seems very likely that the two lampposts were identical whenever they were installed. Is the unmarked plate the same size and shape as the compass plate? Maybe the compass plate on the north lamppost was lost or damaged during some maintenance and they put on a flat plate to replace it. Or, heck, maybe some absentminded electrician put that plate on backwards. I don’t see the absence of the plate on the north lamppost as a big obstacle, if we still have the plate on the south post.

The Water tower has a vane on it which has NSEW points on it…but if you look from the overhead view, you’ll see the landscape just south of it represents a compass. I spent some time trying to find image confirmations on the water tower as there is a lot of sculpture going on there. Then I noticed the Villa Terrace and back bay park. It’s a cool little area on the east side, but it doesn’t seem to fit the verse at all, so I dropped it. There were too many other things that fit closer to downtown, specifically the Masons building on Wells. Also as soon as you “pass the compass” you are fairly close to the treasure ground as that is where the specific instructions start. If you follow the verse from the top of the Grand Staircase it takes you to a specific spot where you then need to figure out the “pass 3.” There is still more to look at…Crashdome posted an overhead map from 1984, perhaps we can locate some things on there..

maltedfalcon

Hey that’s really a cool tower, and we know BP liked water towers…
What do you mean it has a compass on it?

i think he/she means the weather vain, i think thats what its called
https://ssl.panoramio.com/photo_explore … er=2601265
a 1982 report
http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibr … rTower.pdf

Just an aside…The North Point Water Tower had a
sculpture of a dragon built around it in 1985 (temporarily).
We drove down to the lake to see it…Little did I know that the
casque had been buried only 3 years earlier…
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 … 68,7024858
Too bad BP never got to see the dragon…He certainly would have taken a picture of it for Palencar to include in image 10!

Also I think this piece of information was overlooked…I found it insignificant, but one of my trips up the staircase, at the top, I noticed a lamp pole on 1 side that had a masons G square and compass on it. There are 2 lamp posts at the top of the staircase, both sitting on a planter box so the plaque with the G would be closer to eye level. The other pole only had a plate with no marking on it, an electrical tap probably. I think I read somewhere that those lamps were put in post 1981 so I disregarded it. Also if you do turn right at the top of the stairs instead of left, you pass the lawn bowling shack which has a weather vane on it. Also it was reported that the front lawn of the bistro used to have a statue of Christian Whal on it which was moved…it was a bust, I don’t know if it had an inscription. Other than that, I saw nothing that was a clear “compass.” I do find it funny that there is a North Point Water Tower as well as a lighthouse…again the dual meaning.

decibalnyc

Also I think this piece of information was overlooked…I found it insignificant, but one of my trips up the staircase, at the top, I noticed a lamp pole on 1 side that had a masons G square and compass on it.

What staircase are you talking about here? Do you have a picture that shows the square and compass?

One of the 2 lamps at the top of the Lake Park grand staircase.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0684758 … 5S4iFw!2e0
If you look close in this Gmap image you can see the one on the left, blocking one of the windows with the design on top. There is another on the right, but the trees are blocking it. One of these 2 lamps have the G on it like this…
http://www.creamcitycatholic.com/wp/wp- … 1602-3.jpg
The other just has a blank plate over it…I do remember someone telling me the harp lamps went into the park sans ’81 otherwise I would have looked into it more.

Also, the culvert below Ravine Rd. Bridge was put in in 1992 in case anyone was looking at that.

decibalnyc

One of the 2 lamps at the top of the Lake Park grand staircase. … The other just has a blank plate over it…I do remember someone telling me the harp lamps went into the park sans ’81 otherwise I would have looked into it more.

Oregonian

If Preiss really wanted us to climb the 92 steps and then walk to the lighthouse, I think he would have given that move at least a line of its own. (i.e. “After climbing the grand 200 / Take giant steps to the giant pole” or something like that.) The fact that he simply says “After climbing the grand 200 / Pass the compass” suggests to me that the compass was something small and incidental, right near the top of the steps. Maybe it was a sundial. Maybe it was a monument to the Masons. Who knows? It’s probably gone now. But if we were to “Pass the compass and reach / The foot of the culvert / Below the bridge,” then the logical bridge to look at would be the one that’s right there at the top of the stairs: the bridge over Ravine Road.

Good lord, I can’t believe you’re being so blasé about that! (And I can’t believe you’re only mentioning it now!) That’s really a huge find!
Way back in October, I wrote this:
A little, metal sign with a Masonic compass right there at the top of the staircase is no coincidence. I don’t care who told you that the lamps were post-’81. Either they’re wrong or the earlier lamps had the same symbol. But, really, that settles it. There’s no way you could “coincidentally” find what I was predicting would be there.
The verse is clear now. Preiss was telling us to pass the lamp, go over the bridge with the two circles, and then enter the culvert that leads to the Locust Street Trail along East Ravine Road. After we go under the bridge, we go another 100 paces and then we see the first young birch (possibly gone now). We keep going and pass three more. And then, just as we get close to our recognition image – the millstone – we see the multi-trunked tree shown in the cape. That tree is probably gone now, but there might still be either a stump or a soft depression where the stump rotted away. And on the southern side of that (toward the road) is the casque.
Anybody in Milwaukee feel like taking some pictures? I’d love to see a good shot of the Masonic compass on the lamppost and I’d love to see a LOT of shots of the ground to the west of the “millstone” on East Ravine Drive.

lol! glad you’re back ck!
of course i had to try….(to the tune of Otis Lee Crenshaw’s (rich hall)  prison song, ” ‘tho he beats me black and blue, in the dark, it’s true, he almost looks like you”)
the two red balls indicate
february
the time of his sudden
cardio pulmonary
why they are red is
arbitrary
doesn’t really matter to his
beneficiary
it was during his treasure quest
he had a cardiac arrest
i guess it’s true
in the dark, red hot pipes look blue

Slappy,
Anything is possible…
But I personally think that the “lady” in P10
is there solely for her representation of the
“Lion Bridge” lion’s face.
There was a photo taken by Stercox of the
doors of a Milwaukee landmark,  The Pabst Theater.
It was a pretty close match  to the collar design.
Keep on searching.  You have great powers of
observation and creative thinking…and are using
them on
so many
of the verses and pictures!
AP
http://news.webshots.com/photo/29851759 … 0493bbBkAX

Slappy,
Such creativity so early in the morning…
AP

i’m so easily distracted, lol
AP, i’m trying to find certain shapes in the images to match certain places in the parks, do you think, looking at this map:
http://www.lakeparkfriends.org/explore.shtml
that #13 could be the top of her head and she is looking back toward #12, the steel arch bridge?
http://www.lakeparkfriends.org/explore/ … idge.shtml
and could that shape and design around her neck be the steel arch bridge?

Unknown

Unknown:
and the two red balls indicate february…

This has the potential for great song lyrics.

maltedfalcon

Yes those posts indicate gas mains
and say do not dig here without calling ######## first..
They are the same as the ones here in california.
If you dig in that area without calling its against the law.
You call that number and somebody from the gas company comes out and spray paints on the ground the pipe line
then you are allowed to dig, they are usually very friendly and helpful.

WR – this is what I meant the “get permission to dig” might refer to near the church… the site may be near a utility box. BTW, this is in ref to V5.

Yes those posts indicate gas mains
and say do not dig here without calling ######## first..
They are the same as the ones here in california.
If you dig in that area without calling its against the law.
You call that number and somebody from the gas company comes out and spray paints on the ground the pipe line
then you are allowed to dig, they are usually very friendly and helpful.

Nothing new, but it took me a while to find this again, so I wanted to put it here for reference.
1981 Milwaukee Tree Walk

Awfully hard to do if our birch tree is dead! I did have a thought that the upper portion of her cape might be a rotated painting of a tree trunk. Doesn’t look like birch, though.

jayheedan1

Wonder if this waterpark was in Milwaukee in 1982…or the Red ball boundary…they look awfully similar to the juggling balls in the image.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0330545 … 4352?hl=en

As a heads up that’s not a water park it’s the Summerfest grounds. That water spot was just put in within the last 10 years.

Thanks for seeing that other Birch, MF and thanks to Bing Maps I was actually able to distinguish the white birch from an aerial taken in the fall or winter after the leaves dropped.  Previously I thought there was only one birch after viewing from street side and so I thought the line about “passing three” had to apply to something else.  Now that I am past that mistake, I scoured for birch and found just 4, which is the PERFECT NUMBER!  After finding the first, there are three more to pass until reaching the blue mailbox.  Then I believe the “cast in copper” line sends us along Lincoln as we pass a proud tall fifth, the equestrian statue.
Here are the aerials of the birch,

Here’s some info I gathered while looking into the tree comparison.  Things would be easier if the park system had a historical record of each and every tree…
http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/homeow … w-old-tree
Looking at that tree width and the car nearby it really must be a good 40 to 50 years old.

erexere

The reason I am getting into this is that this looks like the only birch in the Kosciuszko Park.

actually re-look at your picture there is another birch along the path to the left of this one about 20 yards past the building.

Malted, good eye!  I had scan at the northeast angle for that.  There’s bound to be more.  Now I simply must gather more detailed information on the whole park.  Im still wide open on how it’s even remotely possible to connect Lake to Kosciuszko.
I almost wanted to fit “plan 9” as 9th street for the “at a distance in space”…can’t see any thematic reason to associate an old scifi movie to this.
Anyways, a work in progress.

WhiteRabbit

Eight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Stone_Lions
Always liked the lion foot theory.

Wouldn’t it be the 5th lion then?

JoshCornell

F**k YES!! I solved it!

Let me save you the trouble.

Juggling is the clue. What juggling term is in the verse.

WhiteRabbit

Let me save you the trouble.

Duece – Thanks for the info about the probes! Do you have the Park Director’s E-mail address?
erexere – I went ahead and talked to the folk’s down at the Milwaukee Historical Society… They helped me out with some documents on dates… Sadly, seems the statue was stored in 1965 and not replaced by the bronze version in Pere Marquette till 1987. So there goes my first idea…
BUT…. I did walk around a little more and decided to go check out the Wisconsin Club, the old Mitchel house. And what did I find around back?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scallywagphoto/14643806743/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scallywagphoto/14437257378/
Yeah… that’s the certianly the texture around the woman’s neck. So I guess we have a confirmed starting place!!!
This also got me thinking…
The Wisconsin Club is right across from the Courthouse, (cast in copper) – so I started snooping around there and I found out there is a park called the India-America Friendship Park behind the courthouse.
I did some googling for india imagry that might connect to the juggler when I got home and landed on this… Some striking similarities. Might be worth an e-mail to the artist?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scallywagphoto/14437480867/
Could be another lead – anyone else have anything to say about this? Let me know, let’s find this thing!

I have had a look at Pere Marquette park on bing maps, and it looks like there maybe a culvert under the bridge. but the 100 paces south east is impossible unless it means from the statue. However, it is tempting to visualise an almost identical location to the Chicago location which was also below a bridge. Also the view of the City Hall matches.
It has harp-case streetlights!
http://binged.it/1nlzttE

Found these on the bridge next to Pere park. Not sure how long they’ve been there but they look old. The bell is a nice match but not sure on the ball. It’s right next to the bell so I thought I would show it too.

I never noticed the bell. Good find. You have reminded me of my use of the hands and ball matching the county outline.
Is the position of the jewel in the same place on this overlaid map?

wk, I see what you’re doing, but I don’t see the intention of an overlay through you’re example. I don’t want to sound like I’m bashing you’re attempt, it’s definitely the kind of idea that I think can be integrated into this puzzle. I recall other members have weighed in on the idea of an overlay and discounted it mainly for the the reason that Chicago and Cleveland didn’t strongly exhibit such a concept. A road segment, or a state shape have been the only map-type shapes utilized so far as we know.
If you don’t mind, can you remind us of any other map segment matches? I figure you’ve been more perceptive of those possibilities.
Thanks.

Deuce

I always was a fan of the Solomon Juneau statue area for this one. I believe the dig site was at the foot of a tree south of the statue. However, when I went to Milwaukee to check that area I found that the trees were removed and new ones planted. There’s a plaque in the ground telling of the new trees. I forget the exact date but after 1983 for sure. I probed the ground but found nothing by the new trees. Just to be complete I probed the area just south of the statue base. My first try hit something about two feet down. So I tried a foot in each direction as well to possibly narrow the size down and found that there’s underground concrete about two feet wide all along the base which is what I hit. Then I checked the whole area south of the statue and got nothing.

Has anyone tried the front and rear of the statue and not just south of it? “At its southern foot, the treasure waits”. If “it” is the Juneau statue, could the casque be adjacent to the southern foot of Juneau himself as depicted by the statue? This would be Juneau’s left foot, as I understand the orientation of the statue. Seems like a silly suggestion, but I think everyone would hate themselves if we were so very close and didn’t try the literal interpretation of “at its southern foot”.

OK, I think I see what you’re seeing…
http://varin.org/TheSecret/necklinecomp2.jpg
It’s not an exact match, but neither are my photoshopping skills
I’d say it looks very similar!

I thought initially that these towers would be found in Boston, and then really liked Fox’s find of the match between the neck pattern and the Elizabethan Gardens on Roanoke (
http://www.outerbanks.com/elizabethanga … lzgbak.gif
), but the match to Milwaukee is now quite convincing.  Maybe there is a similar garden pattern to be found there?
Also, not sure if the exact view can be seen (note it is referred to as ‘rare’ 3 photos down here
http://www.widenonline.com/oldmilw/cityhall.htm
), but it looks like someone was able to capture it recently
http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=209831
(picture half broken)

Good pics matching the silhouette in the Image.
The matching shots are all from roughly the Northwest.  Maybe the Image is saying something like “…put yourself roughly where you would see this view…”  In other words, at some point in orienting yourself to the site you would be NW of City Hall, maybe even where you could see it.
In the general area W of City Hall there are:
1.  Old World Third Street (“…walk the beating of the world” from V8)
2.  Grand Avenue Mall (“…climbing the grand 200”, also from V8)
3.  The river, and hence lots of bridges (“Below the bridge”).  It even runs SE for a good ways.  Don’t know about much “rock and soil”, though.
Any of you Milwaukeeans (Milwaukeeites?, Milwaukinos?) see value in the area NW or W of City Hall?

I did quite a bit of biking around the area and took lots of pictures.  Most of them where of things of interest that were
east
of there though.  I went only maybe one block west of there.   I’ll try to upload those soon to see if they help at all.

I’m glad the podcast brought Josh back into this thread lol. I actually was going to mention you by name while doing it, but I decided against it. I just wanted to back up what JM said in the podcast and let people know that security has been watching the park. The holes around Wolcott are just lame people. I get it, we all want to find it. But when and if you dig a hole, do everyone and the park a favor and fill it back in.
It would be great if the park would work with us and want to be involved to find this and then end this hunt, but saying they want to keep it only fuels people to dig in the night. I love lake park and it’s a beautiful place to go. Last year when the Pokémon rage was going on people were just destroying the park and making it horrible. I would hope the people in here looking just do the right thing.

kpenguins, the key is getting to the West of the Par 3 Golf course. Once you get:
To the first young birch
Pass three,
staying west
You’ll see a letter from the country
Of wonderstone’s hearth
On a proud, tall fifth
You have to get to the West of the Par 3 to solve the rest of the puzzle. I see lots of people who are South or East of the Par 3 in their solves. And of course if you don’t think that that is the key as I do, then there are many other paths to explore. Best of luck to you.

Designer,
Welcome to the forum, and sorry for the slow response.  Things have been sorta quiet lately.  I hope you enjoy your participation here.
Several months ago I contacted Mr. R. at Parks regarding the Grand Staircase in Lake Park.  I laid out a hypothesis for how the staircase might seem to have a different number of stairs now than in 1982, and asked for his view.  At the time he and I both were unable to devote any more time to the question, so he left me with the hope that perhaps he would be able to later pursue the question.  It’s all been idle since, so I was happy to see your post.  Maybe it’s time for this to move beyond a fruitless inquiry.
Also, others besides me may very well have been contacting Parks, so it’s entirely likely that my above story is unrelated to your entry into this hunt.
Either way, it’s great to have you here.
Tally Ho!

Unknown

Unknown:
We’re you there prior to 2008?

Summer of 2002. Why do you ask? Is there something about my analysis that you disagree with?

gManTexas

What I really liked was that in 1980 or so, that was kind of a dead spot in the park. The remnants of the Nike site and the fact that the lighthouse was technically Federal property probably meant that people were not spending a bunch of time down there. Beyond the lion bridges is the southern tip of the park which is essentially featureless. Seems that it would be a great area to bury something. Also, if the rumors are true that BP visited in March, there is minimal activity, especially from the maintenance guys. I saw no one “working” in the park, although it was in the late afternoon and evening.

@ren, the statue itself faces East/Southeast. Prior to 2008, there was a brick patio, directly in front of the statue and the entire monument…. not dirt. I’m not sure if that patio extended directly behind the statue/monument….but, it does now. That would still be West/Northwest. So…doubtful it is (or was) directly in front of the statue: He couldn’t dig there. Behind it, a bit West/Southwest, maybe. That might have been dirt in ’80. However, if that’s the case, then the patio is completely surrounding the entire monument now, including the statue’s pedestal, outlined by concrete slabs. (Somebody did recently dig 4 spots behind the statue ….one, Southwest of the statue, directly to the side of the patio slabs.). If that’s where it is….close to the statue’s pedestal, SW behind it, then it’s possibly covered by the current patio pavers and concrete slabs. (Would have to dig down, then in, to find out – hoping the ground doesn’t cave in while digging laterally. The hole going down would have to be a lot bigger than what was recently dug, in order to tunnel inward.)
@gman, I dunno….those residents are cah-raaaazier than me. My wife and I were there the Saturday/Sunday after your Wednesday stroll/video. It was miserable: 40 mph gusts, a mix of rain, sleet and snow, 32°F. We thought there would be nobody in the park because of the weather. Nope! Those guys were still out, jogging, bird watching, walking their dogs, sauntering along looking for squirrels…or, whatever….instead of staying home, keeping warm. Some of those maniacs actually drove to the park to do that.
I can’t imagine that 40 years took them from being sane to being complete ice-park loving lunatics.
I think the park was really active, even back in the late 70’s / early 80’s….that was around the time that the Jim Fixx jogging craze was dying down and the roller skating craze was starting. (I blame Disco. Damn you, Disco!!!)

Euhirudinea

Summer of 2002. Why do you ask? Is there something about my analysis that you disagree with?

Euhirudinea

So, if Preiss wanted to easily bury the casque at the rider’s southern foot, or if someone wants to look for it there today, they have to stand in the grass in front of the horse and rider, or in the dirt behind them, directly in line with it, but 10-15 feet away

Heh…relax ren. Please, don’t be so defensive.
I wasn’t there, prior to 2008. So, I’m curious about the patio, before the renovation…front, back and sides, around the monument, as a whole. That’s why I was asking.
But, now that you mention it:
My issue with that, is ‘in front of the horse and rider’….do you mean, in the direction the statue is facing? Directly in line with it…towards the path that leads to the lion bridges? Perpendicular to the direction of the benches? That positions you East / South East….not South, no matter how far off the patio you are.
And, ‘the dirt behind them…’ is West / Northwest.
I don’t see how you’re getting ‘southernmost’ out of two positions that are generally East / West of the statue (and, monument as a whole), even if you go beyond the edge of the patio into the grass, dirt or forest….if that’s what you meant.
Since I’m obviously a bit more dense than the usual newbie, please explain more.

Unknown

Unknown:
Prior to 2008, there was a brick patio, directly in front of the statue and the entire monument…. not dirt.

You are confusing “under” with “at”, as in “at its southern foot”. By your own admission, the people who are actually probing and digging at Wolcott are not. Whether it is monuments, statues, trees, or walls, there are very few things that you can actually dig “under”.

Mister EZ

@gman, I dunno….those residents are cah-raaaazier than me. My wife and I were there the Saturday/Sunday after your Wednesday stroll/video. It was miserable: 40 mph gusts, a mix of rain, sleet and snow, 32°F. We thought there would be nobody in the park because of the weather. Nope! Those guys were still out, jogging, bird watching, walking their dogs, sauntering along looking for squirrels…or, whatever….instead of staying home, keeping warm. Some of those maniacs actually drove to the park to do that.
I can’t imagine that 40 years took them from being sane to being complete ice-park loving lunatics.
I think the park was really active, even back in the late 70’s / early 80’s….that was around the time that the Jim Fixx jogging craze was dying down and the roller skating craze was starting. (I blame Disco. Damn you, Disco!!!)

Haha, Disco! I bet the park was super active back then, we didn’t have cell phones and all these other distractions, people went outside. I meant the end of the park where Wolcott sits might have been less busy. Either way, I think people would have cared a lot less if they saw a guy digging in 1980 versus 2018.

MrBackstop

The GPR question is a good one you guys. The different soils will be affected in many ways over the years depending on climate and moisture week-to-week or month-to-month, not just year-to-year. How much could the soils compact year over year and how much more in a colder climate than a warmer one?
Dealing with golf greens and baseball fields over the years it is difficult to maintain a good smooth golf green or a smooth infield especially when it comes to frost heave. I’m not familiar with what will happen to top soils, clays, or sands at a depth of 3 feet or more but there is a great deal of movement when the moisture escapes the ground when going from cold to hot and vice versa.

Yes. We definitely need to give the GPR some thought given the possible variabilities with this instrument. One detail that is also important would be which antenna you are using. Higher frequency GPR antennas will give better resolution but have lower penetration depth. For this task, it has been suggested to me that a dual frequency 800/300 MHz system might work best given possible depth and size of object. Thoughts?

davinci4

Yes. We definitely need to give the GPR some thought given the possible variabilities with this instrument. One detail that is also important would be which antenna you are using. Higher frequency GPR antennas will give better resolution but have lower penetration depth. For this task, it has been suggested to me that a dual frequency 800/300 MHz system might work best given possible depth and size of object. Thoughts?

I agree that GPR can be a useful tool at times, but let’s think about when the book was written. Pretty sure GPR was not available to the general public and should we simply focus on how the author designed the puzzles? Is GPR even necessary to locate the casques or is it just good old fashioned detective work and lots of probing?
Another thing to keep in mind is the value of the “treasure”. Should we spend more than the casque and gem is worth to find it? Seems to go against the return on investment concept.

Unknown

Unknown:
there’s no way the casque is buried under his foot/his horse’s hoof (as suggested by 421).

My mistake. He said at the southern foot of Wolcott (the monument), not under the southern foot of Wolcott (the horse and/or rider). Which is the exact same spot Gman favors.
I’m suggesting that it might be at the statue’s southern foot (or the horse’s but that is essentially the same place). Not under it, but at it, in the dirt in front or possibly behind it. The latter would have been more secluded, but only in front can you see the letter and “country”. So, in reality, three separate but equally likely dig spots using a juggled version of the verse.

Mister EZ

Yup gman…..you can use that info. And, like I said, if you need it, a quick Google search for images will get you the picture(s) with the red brick /bush.
Heck, gravestone.com would even show you that he was the fifth Wolcott named Erastus….the other four were cousins, born before 1804. (But, I doubt Preiss researched that in ’80 – ’81. Doing that would have required visits to the recorder offices of multiple states/ counties/cities, checking registries, census records, birth/death certificates, gravestones, etc. Heck, he probably would have had to go to England in order to find info about Simon Wolcott in the 1500’s, the guy who started the whole thing when he came here in about 1630. Unless Preiss had access to a Wolcott family Bible with a family tree, I don’t think he would have wasted the travel time and money.)
My concern about Goonies’ suggested location: It’s west, not south, of Wolcott. (But, until something is found, I’m open to anything…..including one of the ravines.)

Yes the proposed location is west , How I got to west of the monument was not using the verse in a linear fashion. If we are calling her the “Juggler” then a juggled verse may play into the casque location. For example:
Verse Liner Verse Juggled
Pass three
staying west
You’ll see a letter
You’ll see a letter Of wonderstone’s hearth
Of wonderstone’s hearth At it’s southern foot ( using the southern foot as a point to move west)
On a proud tall fifth On a proud tall fifth
At it’s southern foot Walk 100 paces
Staying west
I find it hard to use a “foot”, “step” or any other clue without math to get us to an x marks the spot. Again just a suggestion to a spot. I agree noting is for sure till one is unearthed.

Euhirudinea

My mistake. He said at the southern foot of Wolcott (the monument), not under the southern foot of Wolcott (the horse and/or rider). Which is the exact same spot Gman favors.
I’m suggesting that it might be at the statue’s southern foot (or the horse’s but that is essentially the same place). Not under it, but at it, in the dirt in front or possibly behind it. The latter would have been more secluded, but only in front can you see the letter and “country”. So, in reality, three separate but equally likely dig spots using a juggled version of the verse.

What I really liked was that in 1980 or so, that was kind of a dead spot in the park. The remnants of the Nike site and the fact that the lighthouse was technically Federal property probably meant that people were not spending a bunch of time down there. Beyond the lion bridges is the southern tip of the park which is essentially featureless. Seems that it would be a great area to bury something. Also, if the rumors are true that BP visited in March, there is minimal activity, especially from the maintenance guys. I saw no one “working” in the park, although it was in the late afternoon and evening.

Goonies…..gotcha, understood….and, could be…that’s a big (yet, small) area to probe.
Ren, I’m not confusing “under” vs. “at”.
Instead, you seem to be ignoring “then” vs. “now”. Then….and now…it can be buried ‘at’ the base of the statue’s pedestal S/SW, behind the statue. But, if it is, then it is (probably) also now ‘under’ the new pavers/concrete slabs,
if
the old patio didn’t exist behind the statue, before 2008.
There’s no way that I’m suggesting that Preiss buried a casque ‘under’ anything except soil….including ‘at’ the front of the statue’s pedestal, ‘under’ the patio that has existed in front of the statue’s pedestal since the 1920’s.
But hey — y’all knock yourselves out, prying up the pavers in front of the statue, under the horses hoof and just in front of the southern bench. Lemme know how that works out for ya, when one of the locals jog by…
=]

Unknown

Unknown:
Instead, you seem to be ignoring “then” vs. “now”.

There is no difference between the two. The statue, pedestal, benches, and footprint of the surrounding patio, front and back, are essentially the same as they were when the statue was erected almost 100 years ago. So, if Preiss wanted to easily bury the casque at the rider’s southern foot, or if someone wants to look for it there today, they have to stand in the grass in front of the horse and rider, or in the dirt behind them, directly in line with it, but 10-15 feet away. Unlike the southern foot of the monument, landscaping and/or electrical wires for the lights would not have been an issue in these two areas, then or now.

When was the last time you were there?
We’re you there prior to 2008?

On a standard map of Milwaukee where the scale is about 1inch = .71 miles, a few key factors led me to take a 200 degree compass walk from the area near 2nd and Grand (200-block) to the vicinity of Kosy Park approx. 3 miles away. I like that overall distance for its being a distance walked in 1-hour, the unit known as a League, “a distance in time.”
I like how the dwarven puzzle would involve using tools on a map. I also like thinking of the juggler as a collector of objects. This is why I think theres a strong relationship to be understood when looking for birch trees, four of which are found along the west side of Kosy Park. This has been verified. They are also much older than 35 years in age. The strong relationship I speak of involves denominations of money and postage stamps. The early 1-cent pennies, after the Ben Franklin “Fugio” design, were known as the “Birch” penny, named for its designer, the primary feature being a circle of laurels. Could also be why the “Laureate” sculpture was selected as a hidden shape in the juggler’s hair. Then there was a 5c Wisconsin stamp featuring Thaddeus Kosciuszko. I think hus statue is the proud, tall fifth, for being discoverable after a path of 4 birch trees and being a 5c stamp, fitting the “you’ll see a letter from the country [Poland]” since letters are generally sent with a stamp. 5-birch pennies = 5 cents = 5c Kosy stamp.
At the southern foot, IMHO, is a simple instruction to dig in the grass area 1-foot south aligned with the hoof of the horse statue. Notice how the hoof is an exact match for the shape in the juggler’s hand -some people think its a bell.

I think I see a “15” in the bend of her left arm.  That’s not a useful number for latitude/longitude, though.

Loph, my $ is in or around Copley Square.  Dont forget the BPL, I think it may be more important than most give credit.  Just a gut feeling……

I’d say it looks a lot like a bell.  The cane goes better with Boston but the whole metal works-bells-pea spoon- tea bag, etc…seems to be a better match.

loph, did you get my messages sent to you some time ago?  just checking.

yes fox, got your messages.  dont really have anything new to report.  im just going to go check out all that i can:
1. Freedom Trail
2. State House
3. old north church
4. museum of fine arts (maybe someone there can tell me what that sculpture looking thing is in Pic 3)
5. old burial hill
6. the commons
7. Christopher columbus park
8. North point park
9. reveres house
10. copley square (i think the hancock building could be the green tower of lights??  )
if anyone has any suggestions let me know.

loph – for some advanced scouting, check out the 4 boston photo galleries here
http://www.huv-photo.com/galleries.html
the Harvard gallery shows three more likely towers in addition to the one I posted earlier

also the old state house is a possible match

looking closely at image 10, I agree with Cats thought that it appears that the cloak’s edge, on the right side of the picture, looks like a coastline or shoreline.
wilhouse

Could the outline of our lady’s cape represent the Menomonee River in Milwaukee? From stercox:
…and based on the same theory (but not as clear):

Here’s an interesting conversation happening in the blog, Maybe Verse 8 isn’t Milwaukee?
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7998

This is a revised version of the post from last night. I have a little more time this morning to elaborate.
View the three stories of Mitchell – Mitchell Mansion (now the Wisconsin Club)
From the rear you can see this….
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tytindkcfljt3gt/MitchellMansionBack.jpg?dl=0
As you walk the beating of the world – This one Erexere figured out, referencing H.G. Wells “War of the worlds” – Walk down Wells St. The street you happen to be on while able to view this pattern from the Image. But which way do we walk…
At a distance in time
From three who lived there – This is a reference to the 3 founders of the city, Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn, and George H. Walker. All of them formed settlements around the river system downtown…when the city was formed, City Hall was erected in the middle of the 3 settlements which eventually turned into the downtown area.
So you walk towards the river, or east…when you get to the river, you’ll see this…the pinnacle of Milwaukee Henry Winkler…
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rn7vfeadq83mr2p/fonz.jpg?dl=0
Of course the “Bronze Fonz” wasn’t there in 81, but the riverwalk, and bridge work with that pattern again, were there in 81
This next section needs some work, and there could be many possible things in the downtown area and near city hall which could pertain to the verse, but I haven’t quite figured them out completely.
At a distance in space
From woman, with harpsichord
Silently playing
Could refer to the giant Lire on the Pabst Theater
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cathedral+Square+Park/@43.0409185,-87.9102267,3a,15y,357.97h,143.27t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1snqun6sqSVy79_Pkmrtz3DQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x880519088beaa84b:0xd8f0d136b9749bc9
or could refer to the performing arts center, behind it is this sculpture
http://i.imgur.com/14D1H9N.jpg
Step on nature – There are plenty of grassy park like areas around city hall including the peck pavillion across the street from city hall
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0422757,-87.9107416,3a,37.5y,306.83h,88.44t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sUp1cOxU1kBdBAzDL_rN1hw!2e0
Cast in copper – There is a fountain about where BP would have took the polaroid of city hall – go to this link on Maps, and just turn around to see the view that BP saw when he snapped the picture
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0424989,-87.9105626,3a,75y,277.43h,87.37t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sd3hFXMSyL4n569aExuB-tg!2e0
Ascend the 92 steps – There is a 92 step spiral staircase that leads up to the observation deck of City Hall
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9lp1db0nuqjdpjf/cityhalltower.jpg?dl=0
After the observation deck, you climb another set of stairs up to the highest point, the bell tower, where you will see the Solomon Juneau Bell
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1rgln6h91lif8vk/juneaubell.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pujijneiec7ipee/bell2.png?dl=0
After climbing the grand 200 – City Hall is 200 Wells St. its the oldest grandest building in downtown, you’ve just climbed it..
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5096/5452603818_7887bd003b_z.jpg
to see the address you have to exit on Wells once again. Upon exiting the front door where the address of 200 is, you see this stone fixture
https://www.dropbox.com/s/euwn4uvo35m78sl/stone.jpg?dl=0
Then exiting the outside atrium you will see the neck image again, inverted on the building across the street just to the east from the entrance of city hall..leading you east on Wells.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0410658,-87.9092324,3a,90y,158.41h,92.61t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sOq6uvHBLLiji-z3B_BYPDA!2e0
Keep walking east on Wells 2 more blocks and you see the symbol again
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.041159,-87.9073778,3a,75y,138.62h,78.08t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ss7KM4z3UF63qUIQDHv0ikg!2e0
Walk 2 more blocks and you reach Cathedral Square Park, where we have this statue.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hh4pk8fte7fo9ya/statue1.jpg?dl=0
And this fountain
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cathedral+Square+Park/@43.0417081,-87.904997,140m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x880519088beaa84b:0xd8f0d136b9749bc9
Just east of the park is the Cathedral of St. John with the rectory beside it
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cathedral+Square+Park/@43.0418017,-87.9043313,3a,90y,108.14h,120.93t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1suJ2jfLJFcF8SAq4amKgoKQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x880519088beaa84b:0xd8f0d136b9749bc9
This is a possible match for this inverted image in the neck – I find it similar, not dead on by any means
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5qg3n8ycyqv0xgj/neck.png?dl=0
… it could also be a match for St. Mary’s which is right behind city hall – again…hard to say that image was anything but these look similar
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cathedral+Square+Park/@43.0419784,-87.906887,3a,30y,288.03h,106.43t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sTEKRaPFOZlpOK4_GLysfDA!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x880519088beaa84b:0xd8f0d136b9749bc9
Here is another look at St. John’s…notice the eagles on the building, possible match for our bird in the lower left
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xa676e5o3jvkjys/bird.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/99x8vvf0vjg2ypa/stjohns.jpg?dl=0
Pass the compass and reach
Directly across Wells from St. John’s is the the Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center, it has compass’ all over it, and some possible image matches….
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9n8pvbpkjyu9sk9/Face.png?dl=0
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8027/7701689858_0acdce7b38_z.jpg
And if you continue walking down Wells until you can’t anymore you will see the biggest visual we have in Juneau Park
https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7djbfe1i130uqc/Juggl.png?dl=0
Letting you know this is the spot…if you take the footpaths behind the Juneau statue
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cathedral+Square+Park/@43.0425516,-87.897504,3a,37.5y,289.6h,92.86t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1smwS-9CUXL0cGf5H0qDe-_Q!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x880519088beaa84b:0xd8f0d136b9749bc9
low and behold to your right is the LINCOLN Memorial Bridge, which you can now reach after passing Juneau
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.041183,-87.898166,3a,75y,214.28h,80.54t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s4GVWKlNDEulOQ4BaEAnbXA!2e0
The foot of the culvert
Below the bridge
Walk 100 paces
Southeast over rock and soil
To the first young birch
This puts you in the patch of trees by the War Memorial
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cathedral+Square+Park/@43.0401106,-87.8982367,3a,90y,79.56h,78.02t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sOlRbiNk5z4VhLxOo6dJ9hQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x880519088beaa84b:0xd8f0d136b9749bc9
and would put the treasure grounds in an area where the Calatrava Building now sits…beyond this statue of LINCOLN
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0404902,-87.8979364,3a,15y,158.96h,90.06t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sG7miFUixBh-sFJckVnnCTw!2e0
The area used to look like this
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d817qvli60ltn7l/WarMem1.jpg?dl=0
Pass three, staying west
You’ll see a letter from the country
Of wonderstone’s hearth
On a proud, tall fifth
At its southern foot…
All of that we will have to trace with historical photos as the Calatrava building was erected in the parking lot of the war memorial / art museum and then attached to it. Further south down the shore stands the Museum I work for, Discovery World…ahh the irony.

Crashdome,
Thanks for sharing that excellent resource of aerial photos.
Welcome to the forum!
AP

Sorry for the double post. I guess it was a moderation thing because I am new here.
I should add that Lake Park is probably one of the few green areas that has remained pretty much the same.

Glossiphoniidae

If you include the “aw” sound in “utah,” all the letters of “walk” from “walking stick” are in “salt lake city”!! Convinced yet?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ5LpwO-An4

LOL OMG #datHeMandoe
TTYL!
(Ok, I’m done. There’s my wasted post!)

Just to reach 100? TJ..that’s almost as bad as what I am doing right now too 🙂

Hello everyone. I just registered to this site a few days ago but, I have been looking in Milwaukee for over a year now. I am from the SA forums and got involved when I read that one might be located in Milwaukee when this was posted over there. I am up to speed on many of the theories and I might have been one of the contributors who provided idea/image verification from those forums. I am using the same handle so if you look there, you can see my posts.
I am semi-active in searching still. I am in the camp of “it’s probably long lost to renovations” but, I have desire to solve it as best as possible by at least pinning a possible location of where it might have been. It’s getting cold here so I’ll be doing less ground pounding but, I am trying to dig up photos and maps of Milwaukee to verify what has changed and what hasn’t.
Reading your ideas yesterday and today, I really want to make a point to all those attempting to use Google maps (and especially Street View) you are shooting yourself in the foot.
When I started searching, a *free* aerial view of Milwaukee wasn’t available for the around 1980s. I knew it was going to become available so I held off too much searching until it came out. As of recently there is a map circa 1985 and one for 1980 (which I am waiting for) is due out this quarter. I suggest many of you take your ideas and follow along on one of these maps located here:
http://county.milwaukee.gov/mclio/geodata/imagery.html
The way to use it via a web browser is simple. Pick a map by date and click the middle icon. It will take you to a page where you can click a javascript link to give you a zoom-able aerial view of Milwaukee. The 1985 is the closest one so far but, 1980 is due out soon. I highly recommend you follow your route on these maps because you will instantly see how useless Google street view is. Some buildings are certainly timeless and been there for 100s of years. The streets, the paths, the trees, and most importantly the areas by or near monuments… ALL HAVE CHANGED. The map is detailed down to you can identify a car from a truck but, you won’t be reading any signs. You also won’t be identifying any trees. Although, this map has been crucial to me throwing out about a dozen or so “possibilities”.
Please, take a look at this map. I want to find a solution with all of you. Unfortunately, I think the only way is going to not involve Google.
I’m quite busy with work these next few months but, feel free to ask me directly if you need something verified. I travel around here quite a bit (I usually bus or bike) and I am happy to check out a place and snap a few photos when convenient.

Xieish

But even looking at the recognition image how do you know what side to dig on if it’s a circle?

Maybe “Aha Image” would be a better name for what I’m talking about. It doesn’t tell you the precise dig spot. It just tell you that – Aha! – you’re in the right area! But there will still be other clues that tell you where to dig. Look at the two examples we’re sure about: The fence in Chicago and the wall in Cleveland. In both cases there were other clues in the verse that identified the dig spot. The Aha Images were just there to confirm the area.
If I’m right about the other three areas where I’ve proposed solutions – San Francisco, St. Augustine, and New York – the Aha Image is anywhere from 10 to 25 feet away from the actual dig spot. (In New York it’s 22 east steps “or more” away.)
If the “millstone” at the base of East Ravine Road is the Aha Image for Milwaukee, it just confirms that the tree is very nearby. THAT’S why Preiss
also
had to put the bit in the verse about the “letter from the country / Of wonderstone’s hearth” on the specific tree. If the letter is now gone (as I think most of us agree it is) we will just have to dig at the “southern foot” of the likely tree. But it’s really down to either the locust or the (now gone) ailanthus. It seems pretty straightforward to try digging in those two spots.

I think the “image callback” is in or on her cape.
The top of the cape certainly looks like a tree – possibly the “proud tall 5th.”
Alternatively, if you look at the inside elbow of her left arm, you will see a letter S (or a number 5). I know everyone thinks the letter should be a “G,” but that letter S could be near the treasure instead (and we just have the “G” solution incorrect).
Finally, inside the cape there is definitely something going on. I know it has been suggested that it is a possible bootleg or another tree trunk, but I think it is something else, and probably something you see from the treasure ground. There is a definite pattern with bumps in 4 rows, with the bottom row having more bumps. It is not a cape, and it is not there by accident. Heck, if you turn it sideways, there is a letter J or a letter A.
Although most of the picture is sparse, I think the bottom half is chock full of goodies. That symbol in her hair seems to have been figured out as a monument. Her collar is a cement pattern. There is a bird head in the lower left corner, I believe. Her neck line is very suspicious – I would not doubt that that is also some geographic outline.
None of this is new. Just reminding people that it is not as sparse as we think. My bet is that the light blue part of the cape is the image callback.
Sorry for not remembering this, but did we ever find a latitude/longitude in this one?

Egbert

Sorry for not remembering this, but did we ever find a latitude/longitude in this one?

Not to my knowledge.

Maybe since this one has the rebus (and probably the easiest to spot iconic building) it doesn’t have coordinates? The terminal tower isn’t quite as distinctive (or massive in the image). It’s not like the city is in doubt at this point, enough individual matches have been found.
What’s frustrating is that the internet didn’t exist in a meaningful form for this hunt for 20 years, so it’d be very difficult to communicate about it, yet the puzzles don’t all seem to work the same way anyway. I barely think having a solid methodology would help but we can’t even nail that down.

Unknown

Unknown:
True enough. But the verse doesn’t say the final tree is a birch. It only says the first tree is a birch. The fifth tree is just the fifth tree.

Unknown

Unknown:
If I had to guess, I’d say that BP bought a small, cheap letter “G” at a hardware store and nailed it to the final tree to indicate which tree searchers should use once they spotted the “millstone.”

Unknown

Unknown:
If you don’t buy that then, again, what visual confirmation clue are you expecting to find when you reach the treasure site?

I agree with this. I’m not even sure the “pass three” had to be birches either, just three of something similar that you use as counters. Most likely they were trees though, as young trees are usually planted in groups. If you believe as I do that the FYB was at the base of the NLB Ravine, then this part of the verse is simply confirmation that you are in the right place once you come out of the woods (where one tree pretty much looks like the next), and gives you directions (staying west) and landmarks (pass three) to a distinctive dig spot (PTF). The spot is confirmed by the letter on the tree, and the multi trunked tree nearby, both of which are prominent features on the cape in the image.
If you have a tree with a letter on it, you don’t need the millstone, or anything else. You just need a shovel, and to know which way SE is. The letter (more likely carved into the tree than attached by Preiss as you suggest) is the confirmer. Had he not stumbled upon it, he more than likely would have looked for something equally distinctive in the area, rather than manipulate the treasure ground in such an obvious, and potentially transient manner.
Asked and answered. But if the tree in question is gone…

Euhirudinea

Asked and answered. But if the tree in question is gone…

Well I think we’re talking about two different things here:
The verse tells us that there was “a letter from the country / Of wonderstone’s hearth / On a proud, tall fifth.” I think most of us agree that the “fifth” was a tree and the “letter” was some alphabetical letter. It might have been nailed or carved or spray painted or whatever. As you say, things on trees are potentially transient. The letter is almost certainly gone now.
BUT what I was talking about a few days ago was what I call the “recognition image” at the casque site. I am reasonably sure at this point that each of the 12 images in
The Secret
contains some distinct, recognizable shape that we will see when we are standing right there at the casque site. The recognition image gives you the “Aha moment” that you’re in the right place. And the recognition image is deliberately chosen to be something lasting, strong, and permanent, like a wall or a fence or a railing or a tall, arched window.
There’s no “letter from the country of wonderstone’s hearth” in Image 10 (as far as I know) so the letter can be a clue but it can’t be the recognition image. So, if you buy all of this, you’re still left with the question of what the recognition image is going to be.
I think Egbert has a point that the recognition image could be the indistinct shape inside the cape, if we find it in some sculpture or statue. But, failing that, the only thing that I can see being the recognition image in Image 10 is the millstone. And if that millstone thing at the base of East Ravine Road works with the directions in the verse, you’ve got a pretty powerful combination there.

But even looking at the recognition image how do you know what side to dig on if it’s a circle? i’m not even asking you to answer that, more calling out that either
1) That isn’t the recognition image
2) We’re missing something that tells you
or
3) Damn you, Byron Preiss.
In Boston I have it down to standing ON TOP OF the recognition image, and my good friend who is going to help me dig and I are currently arguing on what side to dig.
edit: I wish we had a real solution for Chicago. I know Four21 has been there, so he can possibly shed some light, but I’ve always deep down suspected that it was solved by people who lived there who solved enough clues but didn’t solve the entire puzzle. Because even there BP had to send them a Polaroid.
Were they missing the recognition image? Is there something MORE directly on top of the dig site than the Fence & Fixture to orient you? Or are the puzzles kind of crap?

decibalnyc

Wells St. didn’t have a bridge in 1985, you can see they are building it….So if you were in front of the Pabst Theater, Woman with harpsichord, City Hall would be across the river at a distance in space. Yes Oregonian you can use that.

I don’t believe that’s correct. This image shows them building the new bridge that raises up which is still in use. There was probably remnants of the old streetcar bridge prior but, I cant confirm either way.

…nah, you’re right. Just brainstorming…;-)

Ooo, here’s an idea. The two spires of City Hall are DIFFERENT height. In the image they are depicted from a perspective where they are seen as equal height. This parallels the most obvious difference between dwarf and standard height. How does this utilization of perspective build to a conclusion for finding the casque?

Unknown

Unknown:
Lake Park is located on land the known history of which stretches back into antiquity. A prehistoric Indian Mound reminds today’s park visitor of the original inhabitants of the area. Although we do not know who built this mound, it is believed to have been peoples of the Mid-Woodland Culture (300BC-400AD), primarily hunter-gatherers who constructed mounds as burial or ceremonial centers. Originally one of a series of conical mounds that were later destroyed (some even in the development of the park), this single mound is the last known remaining within the city of Milwaukee.

Random thought…I was just flipping through some stuff about the history of Lake Park and came across the Indian burial mounds. I don’t think they’ve been mentioned much, but in view of Seloy etc (sorry, cover your ears Erexere) it sounds like the kind of thing that might have drawn BP’s attention.
http://lakeparkfriends.com.previewc28.c … tory.shtml
Info on the plaque here…I never really got the locust thing, but it’s just over from the end of Locust St.
http://wisconsinhistoricalmarkers.blogs … mound.html
Amethyst candidate…?

Whiterabbit, I’ve enjoyed some of your ideas, but this isn’t one of them. The sorts of things that drew BPs attention are still a big mystery. SELOY in St. Augustine is a remarkable discovery, but that too is mysterious and contraversial.
IMHK, the better question to ask is what would’ve interested BP in his attempt to meet the perspective of the dwarves. I dont buy into the locust connection while stronger visual elements are without reconciliation.

Someday someone might try metal detecting at the base of the Kosciuszko monument.
My first choice would be at the boot on the west side. Second choice, the south side.

This multi-trunk tree (4 trunks) is no longer there.
It was removed sometime after 09/2007.  (I was so
surprised when I saw it in this older photo taken last summer.)
The place where it used to stand is between the two lion bridges.
You would see it when you “pass the compass”.
If it were the multi-trunk tree in Image 10, it would have been
a “confirmer” that you were on the right track.
(It would answer my question as to why the other
multi-trunk tree was down by the soccer field, so far from
the ravines.)
If it has absolutely nothing to do with the hunt, then at least
it is interesting to note how impermanent  the presence of trees
can be.
AP

I am glad you brought this up. The possibility that the tree talked about was cut down is a very real possibility. Try to find images from the early ’80s as to what the area looked like. The park office may have records of trees that have been cut.
Keep the faith.

Just re-posting these comparison photos of the Cottonwood trees at the East end of the South Lion Bridge Ravine.
When they were young (in 1940) they definitely looked like birch trees. It is said that BP did his digging in March.
Trees in Wisconsin do not get leaves until well into May. So he would have seen only the bark to Identify them.
Cottonwood trees are ubiquitous in Lake Park! The presence of that multi-trunk tree has also been cause for speculation.
How long did it survive?

animal painter

Just re-posting these comparison photos of the Cottonwood trees at the East end of the South Lion Bridge Ravine.
When they were young (in 1940) they definitely looked like birch trees. It is said that BP did his digging in March.
Trees in Wisconsin do not get leaves until well into May. So he would have seen only the bark to Identify them.
Cottonwood trees are ubiquitous in Lake Park! The presence of that multi-trunk tree has also been cause for speculation.
How long did it survive?

If the 5 trunk tree is the one on the north side of the Bistro, the stump is still there. It is to the right after you go up the Grand Staircase, just before the concrete arch bridge. I also came across a stump across from the golf course, before you get to the Wolcott Statue. I want to say between waterfall ravine and the maintenance sheds. It looks like it could have had 5 trunks, but not sure.
They have done some replanting of birches, like they want to bring them back to the park.
Speaking of the concrete bridge, the one that is closed off, I took a minute to look today, it is around 216 feet long. Maybe to the stump is 100 paces? That’s such a variable measurement though, 100 paces….

Unknown

Unknown:
It is said that BP did his digging in March. Trees in Wisconsin do not get leaves until well into May.

When do they lose them? Because he didn’t take delivery of the casques until late summer, and it seems unlikely that he would have sat on them for 8-9 months before putting them into the ground. Fall is more likely, at least for the northern casques.

animal painter

Just a bit of North Point Water Tower trivia. I went to see this back in 1985.
An artist created this dragon sculpture and was allowed to hang it on the Tower for a few weeks.
Of course I did not know anything about the Secret at that time…drat!

That’s pretty cool, thanks for sharing.

I had the good fortune to be able to visit Milwaukee for work, and spend some time looking around Lake Park. The weather was not great but it was a lot of fun. I will figure out where to put the photos and videos of my walk through.
Short summary. Starting at Mitchell Hall sort of feels right. You can go all through Lake Park and see some of the landmarks, which may point to things in Image 10 and Verse 8. There is little doubt in my mind that these are paired and are in Milwaukee. I believe the problem arises at the end. Maybe too much time has passed, or things have changed significantly. I saw a lot of trees that had been cut down and the hiking trails were a bit run down. To me, the trail went a bit cold once you get to the Lion Bridges and ravines. The South Lion Bridge ravine was redone in the past several years. Also, the area is prone to erosion.
Issues:
1. I did not see a definitive “letter from the country of wonderstone’s hearth”. Either I have no idea what I am looking for, or it does not exist.
2. Foot of culvert. There are several. Which one are we looking for?
3. 100 paces. Terrible clue. If we take this to mean a standard pace of 2.5 feet, that give us a distance of 250 feet. Nothing is marked as such.
4. Young birch. Does this mean an actual birch tree? The area has birches, but none that really stood out. Maybe it is more of a metaphor?
5. For the life of me, I did not get any ah-ha moments about where to dig.
6. The Footbridge that goes over Locust Street Ravine Trail and East Ravine Road is blocked off and deteriorating. I did go poke around, but since it has not been kept up, it is hard to tell if the area plays a role in the puzzle.
7. The path from Mitchell Hall through the park is very long. I am not saying that is wrong, just a relatively long path to take, especially if you are in the North Point Water Tower camp, which takes you though the park and then back out of the southern end to the Water Tower.
I have some ideas that I will share along with the photos and videos, maybe someone can see something here. I do not have a proposed solve or dig spot.

gMan,
You are right about the trail going cold once you are at the Lion Bridges.
Birch trees are still alive in the Waterfall Ravine (formerly the Girls Scout Ravine).
If you look at several varieties of trees (especially cottonwoods) in their young state, their bark looks “birchy”.
The question has always been…”How good was BP at identifying trees?

gManTexas

I had the good fortune to be able to visit Milwaukee for work, and spend some time looking around Lake Park. The weather was not great but it was a lot of fun. I will figure out where to put the photos and videos of my walk through.
Short summary. Starting at Mitchell Hall sort of feels right. You can go all through Lake Park and see some of the landmarks, which may point to things in Image 10 and Verse 8. There is little doubt in my mind that these are paired and are in Milwaukee. I believe the problem arises at the end. Maybe too much time has passed, or things have changed significantly. I saw a lot of trees that had been cut down and the hiking trails were a bit run down. To me, the trail went a bit cold once you get to the Lion Bridges and ravines. The South Lion Bridge ravine was redone in the past several years. Also, the area is prone to erosion.
Issues:
1. I did not see a definitive “letter from the country of wonderstone’s hearth”. Either I have no idea what I am looking for, or it does not exist.
2. Foot of culvert. There are several. Which one are we looking for?
3. 100 paces. Terrible clue. If we take this to mean a standard pace of 2.5 feet, that give us a distance of 250 feet. Nothing is marked as such.
4. Young birch. Does this mean an actual birch tree? The area has birches, but none that really stood out. Maybe it is more of a metaphor?
5. For the life of me, I did not get any ah-ha moments about where to dig.
6. The Footbridge that goes over Locust Street Ravine Trail and East Ravine Road is blocked off and deteriorating. I did go poke around, but since it has not been kept up, it is hard to tell if the area plays a role in the puzzle.
7. The path from Mitchell Hall through the park is very long. I am not saying that is wrong, just a relatively long path to take, especially if you are in the North Point Water Tower camp, which takes you though the park and then back out of the southern end to the Water Tower.
I have some ideas that I will share along with the photos and videos, maybe someone can see something here. I do not have a proposed solve or dig spot.

Really cool, gMan! Thanks for all of your hard work on the ground!

animal painter

gMan,
You are right about the trail going cold once you are at the Lion Bridges.
Birch trees are still alive in the Waterfall Ravine (formerly the Girls Scout Ravine).
If you look at several varieties of trees (especially cottonwoods) in their young state, their bark looks “birchy”.
The question has always been…”How good was BP at identifying trees?

I’ve thought about this, like a lot. My first instinct is that he didn’t really mean a tree. Trees are such bad landmarks. My second though is that because he was well read and seemed to appreciate both art and nature, he would have known a birch from a cottonwood. But, you could be right.

atdreamer2112

Really cool, gMan! Thanks for all of your hard work on the ground!

Thanks, I hope to have everything up by the end of the week, including my visit to the NP LIghthouse Museum.

animal painter

gMan,
You are right about the trail going cold once you are at the Lion Bridges.
Birch trees are still alive in the Waterfall Ravine (formerly the Girls Scout Ravine).
If you look at several varieties of trees (especially cottonwoods) in their young state, their bark looks “birchy”.
The question has always been…”How good was BP at identifying trees?

Considering the awesome work that you, forest_blight, Stercox, decibalnyc, and a ton of other hunters have put in over the course of more than a decade, I have to wonder and ask about something that I’m sure others have wondered about (and, probably have had answered):
The slopes of those ravines are steep.
In some places, treacherously steep.
Many of the proposed solutions of the past….and, dig sites of the past (including many of yours)….don’t seem to identify a spot in any of the ravines, on the slopes.
Preiss wouldn’t have bothered climbing one of those slopes, to balance himself as he tried to dig a 3′ deep hole, past tree roots… would he?
I think I read that you searched under the south lion bridge…? But, you didn’t dig on the slope of any ravine….? Because….why would it be on a slope? He would want to get in, dig the hole, bury the casque and get out quickly. Right? Or, am I missing something? (Trees being good /bad landmarks set, aside. Wanting to protect a tree, set aside. He just wouldn’t have bothered, because it would be a hassle…with possible future litigation, if a treasure hunter fell and snapped their neck.)

gManTexas

Thanks, I hope to have everything up by the end of the week, including my visit to the NP LIghthouse Museum.

Did you notice that the lighthouse had 5 lighthouse keepers?
(I noticed….but, it’s a stretch, so I dismissed that a while ago. No connections in the image or verse to any of them.)

Mister EZ

Did you notice that the lighthouse had 5 lighthouse keepers?
(I noticed….but, it’s a stretch, so I dismissed that a while ago. No connections in the image or verse to any of them.)

I have a bunch of thoughts on the light house. I have to finish doing my taxes before I can work on this stuff.

gman,
It was such fun walking through Lake Park again watching your GoPro recording.
The place has changed so much since 2007! A lot fewer trees…
I wish someone would have taken a “Super 8” home movie of the area back in 1980.
(Maybe they did)…How do we get people to share their old home movies…or even
their family photo albums from 38 years ago??

animal painter

gman,
It was such fun walking through Lake Park again watching your GoPro recording.
The place has changed so much since 2007! A lot fewer trees…
I wish someone would have taken a “Super 8” home movie of the area back in 1980.
(Maybe they did)…How do we get people to share their old home movies…or even
their family photo albums from 38 years ago??

Thanks! Maybe someone has or will post a converted video on Youtube from that time period. I also believe that there may be a wealth of information at the Milwaukee Historical Society, library or even the local news outlets.
Maybe if there was some major event in the park there should be footage.

that large music fest in me takes place in the park…I forget what its called :S

That tree on the left was the bane of our existence for most of a day. Not a birch, though — cottonwood if I remember right. But then, we don’t know how much of an arborist BP was…

went down to Milwaukee this weekend… got some pictures and think i may have found some bits that would make atomicleprechaun happy.
Will post the pics tomorrow as soon as i do some more research and confirm a few things.

hi all..
I think i am going to throw my hat in on this one.. Wisc. is close to me and this might be fun..

Shadowrunner

hi all..
I think i am going to throw my hat in on this one.. Wisc. is close to me and this might be fun..

*lol*  Once an addict always an addict!

otteriffic

went down to Milwaukee this weekend… got some pictures and think i may have found some bits that would make atomicleprechaun happy.
Will post the pics tomorrow as soon as i do some more research and confirm a few things.

Excellent,
What have you found Otteriffic? I am intrigued.

Let’s check out the small sliver of artwork on the right hand side of Image 10.
I am curious as to everyone’s idea with this clue. To me this looks just like one of the Gable/Finials at the top of the North Point Water Tower.

Sorry, Wilhouse.  Meant no offense.

So sorry.
It was working back in November, but no longer, and (with life getting in the way) I don’t even remember what it was.
I have requested the image from the contacts at their website, and if they email me a copy of the picture I will post.
Chad (Cormac)

thanks cormac, sorry i didn’t notice it was an old post
team meaner simikkles, keeping an open mind on this…it can’t be the aquamarine because it was found, the topaz is possible….after reading paperclips post about the jewels:
“It should also be noted that in the colored plates, 6 of the stones had what is known as an ’emerald’ (square-shaped) cut (diamond, garnet, aqumarine, emerald, peridot, and topaz) while 5 others had a ‘cabachon’ (smooth and round top with flat bottom) cut (sapphire. turquoise, ruby, opal, and amethyst) while the remaining 1 could be considered ‘uncut’ (the pearl).”  (from paperclip’s post)
this image has the “primrose”, flower for february, and the birthstone for february is the amethyst……..
just confusing with the “cuts” of the stones, and i guess it is possible the flower is something else………..
and the two red balls indicate february…

In Milwaukee, we had a small respite from the sub-zero temperatures last Saturday.
(It got up to the 40’s for one day.)  Early Sunday, before church, I took a drive
to the lakefront to look around.
Even after a 40-degree day, there was still a foot or more of snow in the park.
Neither my soil probe nor shovel  could break the frozen ground
.
(After all, it is still February…I am jumping-the-gun for “digging” by about 3 months.)
One thing about winter…the trees are quite visible with no foliage.
There is
one
white birch along the lakefront.  It stands out like a sore thumb…
But it is just a sapling compared to most of the other trees.
If there were any large birches along the lakefront, they would definitely be easy to spot.
Hurry, Spring!
AP

Man oh man, I put up my solve on this to try and throw out a new idea. I didn’t expect some fresh eyes on this to be taken negatively. I expected some back-and-forth feedback like I’ve seen in several threads on here.
I’ve seen many of the vets on here encourage people to post their ideas, thoughts or solves. I’m simply posting what I “see” to help get some of these casques found.
To get to my conclusion I went to google earth street view and walk the route from the sidewalk as I envisioned BP would have actually done in ’81. I just kept going further and further down Lincoln until that proud, tall fifth stood out to me. Today’s technology is amazing.

I apologize to all those veterans who clearly have already figured the Milwaukee Image. And congrats to each of you….I didn’t know you already found it and dug it up.
At least share your successes with all of us so we can join in your celebration of digging up the 3rd casque.

MrBackstop

I apologize to all those veterans who clearly have already figured the Milwaukee Image. And congrats to each of you….I didn’t know you already found it and dug it up.
At least share your successes with all of us so we can join in your celebration of digging up the 3rd casque.

Wait, are you implying someone criticized you…
on the Internet???

drunknerds

Wait, are you implying someone criticized you…
on the Internet???

Some criticism can be constructive at times, but wholesale discounting is not.

gManTexas

Some criticism can be constructive at times, but wholesale discounting is not.

I agree the “troll” comment was not helpful. But I feel like a lot of derails are coming because newer theorists are getting bogged down by butting heads with people who disagree without constructive criticism, rather than simply ignoring it.

drunknerds

This is where you lost me: Are you saying the letter M represents Germany?
Rough stone = Wonder stone
I liked the solve up until this point

Yes, we know the country for this is Germany. Now, look at what the verse actually says:
You’ll see “a” letter from the country, not the first letter, not the last letter….BP was just being a little creative with this verse, that’s all.
The stone used to construct the Victorian Water Tower is special.
Built in 1873 and designated a landmark in 1968, the tower is actually an ornate Niagra Limestone shell built around a 120 foot high wrought iron standpipe. The complete height of the structure is 175 feet. So this is what BP refers to as a wonderstone’s hearth. The tower itself is a hearth.

MrBackstop

Yes, we know the country for this is Germany. Now, look at what you he verse actually says:
You’ll see “a” letter from the country, not the first letter, not the last letter….BP was just being a little creative with this verse, that’s all.
The stone used to construct the Victorian Water Tower is special.
Built in 1873 and designated a landmark in 1968, the tower is actually an ornate Niagra Limestone shell built around a 120 foot high wrought iron standpipe. The complete height of the structure is 175 feet. So this is what BP refers to as a wonderstone’s hearth. The tower itself is a hearth.

I think the Niagara Limestone argument has merit. There’s no real definition for “wonderstone” as far as I can see.
I disagree that anyone would use “a letter from the country” to mean “literally any letter from the name of the country.” Especially not a designer who is not above using M, B, and R, as “Mozart, Beethoven, and Roosevelt.”

An actual wonderstone is usually from AZ or NV like these:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?view= … tedIndex=5
I just feel BP was using creative license with this term. And likewise, I feel he was doing the same thing with the “letter in a country” comment.

Unknown

Unknown:
I agree the “troll” comment was not helpful.

It wasn’t meant to be helpful. It was meant to be insightful.
But just to be clear, it was White Rabbit who called this tangent nonsense, as in, this makes no sense. So if feelings were hurt (as if), then it’s on him.

My friend with VR gear says it’s really fun to stroll around in Google maps. I would sure like to try that sometime.

Euhirudinea

It wasn’t meant to be helpful. It was meant to be insightful.
But just to be clear, it was White Rabbit who called this tangent nonsense, as in, this makes no sense. So if feelings were hurt (as if), then it’s on him.

Euhirudinea

True. But around here, it’s better to deal in the probable. And the most likely explanation for what is going on is that the Forum is being trolled.

No, you are responsible for the troll comment:
It was a comment made out of the genuine desire to improve the forum. So own it.
Again, the real issue is taking criticism too seriously. Renovator, white rabbit, Backstop, you all post stuff with the goal of sharing and being informative. So I just don’t want you all to start getting bogged down with in-fighting. Most everything you guys say is informative, criticism comes out of the goal of clarity, even if it gets a little more sharp than it needs to. Balancing criticism with courtesy is a difficult line to walk, I’m just saying that you all have a lot to contribute, so let’s try extra hard to walk that fine line.

Unknown

Unknown:
It was a comment made out of the genuine desire to improve the forum. So own it.

Own it? How much clearer can I be? The forum is being trolled. That’s a fact. I’m not clear on the who (although I have my suspicions), and I’m not clear on the how (other than it is a coordinated effort), but the why should be obvious to anyone with even a smattering of institutional knowledge who has been paying attention for the last few weeks. And it isn’t being done, as you say, “with the goal of sharing and being informative”.

Euhirudinea

Own it? How much clearer can I be? The forum is being trolled. That’s a fact. I’m not clear on the who (although I have my suspicions), and I’m not clear on the how (other than it is a coordinated effort), but the why should be obvious to anyone with even a smattering of institutional knowledge who has been paying attention for the last few weeks. And it isn’t being done, as you say, “with the goal of sharing and being informative”.

Trolled in what way? I haven’t seen much evidence of that, maybe some overactive bravado and snipping, but nothing major. Now, if you meant fishing for info, well once you put stuff out there, it’s fair game.

I miss the days when I thought Image 2 fit the MKE location. The veterans of this board respectfully pointed out my foolishness. I’ve had many polarizing moments since and even been made to sit in the troll corner a time or two, but never have I gone full braggadocio. At least I understood there was some etiquette to maintain if I were to make any progress working with people.
The recent onslaught of interested folks hasn’t been all bad. It’s just been confusing to follow so many sub-channels.
I wonder if the hunt hasn’t evolved into some kind of fan-fiction or a complex ARG managed by dwarven illuminati, caring only about boosting shovel sales at hardware stores all over the nation.

erexere

My friend with VR gear says it’s really fun to stroll around in Google maps. I would sure like to try that sometime.

Look for ‘google cardboard’ you can get them for free most times. Then you can use your phone as a gr8 screen.

While I was taking pics in Fair Park in Dallas, I saw this fence:
The design in it reminded me of something – the neck area of the woman’s cloak in image 10.  I don’t think this is a match, but I do have a hunch that you might find that
exact
design in a fence, railing, or some kind of partition somewhere near the casque.  After re-reading this thread and the one for Verse 8, I feel pretty good about Milwaukee.  I know some people have done some looking in Milwaukee… did you see anything like this design anywhere?

Glossiphoniidae

WR – this is what I meant the “get permission to dig”… the site may be near a utility box.

This finally makes sense to me.  It’s a visual confirmation that you are in the right spot, rather than something peculiar about one dig site.  Many (if not all) of the diggings would benefit from getting permission, especially these days.  Rather than think about one verse pointing to a special park where BP himself had to get permission to bury (which would risk having the location leak out), the casque was buried in a place where anyone can dig (within reason, same as all of the locations).  The bit which is unique is perhaps a sign or symbol or even actual text somewhere, to give you the kind of ‘aha!’ that you are on the trail once you get there, not a clue to be used too early to figure out where to head.  I like this, I just can’t use it.

The birthflower for February can be violet, iris, or primrose. For what it’s worth, I think the flower in Image 10 is a primrose. Primroses come in many different forms, but I did find one that looks remarkably like the one in Image 10:

Just wanted to chime in and say that I, too, looked into the Back Bay area and thought about the little creek bed that runs through it and thought maybe a little foot bridge might exist below some staircase (92 stairs) but after checking it out I didn’t see anything. Also looked into Villa Terrace but, every time I am nearby it is after hours. I thought maybe he went in and climbed the stairs upand passed some small artifacts to make up the remainder of the verse which would ultimately lead to a point outside of Villa Terrace. Again, led me nowhere. I am mentioning this just to more or less validate someone else’s interest or doubt (not any specific one).
Also, I want to know when it became necessary to find a millstone on the way to the dig site?

Unknown

Unknown:
Also, I want to know when it became necessary to find a millstone on the way to the dig site?

I don’t think that’s ever been the case. The real question is whether the sewer cover at the base of East Ravine Road is a treasure ground marker, a treasure path identifier, or just coincidental. Since I think a tree with a letter on it (the PTF) would have been a clear and unambiguous treasure ground marker, and we are told to dig at “its southern foot” (a clearly defined dig spot), I think it’s nothing more than a treasure path identifier at best (since no matter how we get to the base of the Grand Staircase, we pass right by this area on the way).

Ah, Milwaukee, Milwaukee. Here we go round again.
View the three stories of Mitchell
The Mitchell Mansion, a “rambling three-storey yellow brick house”, where the German Club was established (this being the German image).
http://www.wisconsinclub.com/fw/main/History-4.html
As you walk the beating of the world
Dunno. It’s 900 West Wisconsin Ave, “W WI” – World War One, or “world war won”…?
At a distance in time
From three who lived there
The three businessmen who founded the club.
At a distance in space
From woman, with harpsichord
Silently playing
Marietta Ave bordering Lake Park, where we’re headed next.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marietta_Robusti
Step on nature
Oak Leaf Trail
Cast in copper
Lincoln Memorial Drive
Ascend the 92 steps
Lake Park, Grand Staircase
After climbing the grand 200
Pass the compass and reach
The foot of the culvert
Below the bridge
Past North Point lighthouse, down the south ravine, under the bridge (don’t care which way you go), arrive at its foot (southern end)
Walk 100 paces
Southeast over rock and soil
To the first young birch
You’re now back on Lincoln Memorial Drive.
Pass three, staying west
The verse hints that the gem is buried at the foot of a tall tree, but I don’t think so. Not an easy place to try and dig. And if the “fifth” isn’t a tree, the “three” aren’t either.
Consider the clue of the juggler, a trickster passing the balls round in circles. We’re back on Lincoln Memorial Drive again. Let’s stay on it. In fact let’s go all the way back down, retracing our steps, back along West Wisconsin Ave to where we started, past the three storeys of Mitchell and the three who stayed on West Wisconsin Ave.
The patterned collar has been identified as the Pabst Theatre. If you keep heading west along West Wisconsin Ave, past the German Club at 900, then you come to the Pabst Mansion at 2000. Might as well keep going now until you get to some green space like Wisconsin Avenue Park.
You’ll see a letter from the country
Of wonderstone’s hearth
On a proud, tall fifth
At its southern foot
The treasure waits.
Although the top of the tower has been identified, Milwaukee City Hall doesn’t account for the shape of the rest of it. There are similar diagonal rock shapes on the left edge of the pic. I’m wondering what these represent.

It is exciting to see interest in Milwaukee once again!
But I have to say that the abundance of clues and visual
confirmers for Lake Park leave no doubt for me as to the
casque’s location…especially with BP using “steps” to denote distances.
The “Domes” are miles away from Lake Park.:-(
AP

forest_blight

…the only place I have actually dug for hidden treasure (failed, of course) — with our very own Pinetree and Stercox.

Stercox

I’ve always had a pet theory that the three stories of Mitchell may refer to the Mitchell Domes, especially due to the dome looking structure hidden in the woman’s hair

Good to see you’re still around AP! I have no doubt that the trail takes in Lake Park. Still, it strikes me that nothing else in any of the verses is so straightforward as the second half of this one seems to be. From Marietta to “pass three trees, and go here, and go there” is quite a change of style. And…basically, it doesn’t work, taken literally. I think BP had a couple of tricks up his sleeve when he compiled these directions.
I know the idea of backtracking down Lincoln isn’t new; there was all that nonsense about lampposts and stuff. But it hadn’t occurred to me to backtrack all the way before. (Of course, when it was first mooted, it wasn’t strictly backtracking, since the trail was taken to start at the Mitchell building north of the park rather than the Mitchell Mansion to the south. But the city hall, the domes, the Pabst Theatre, the German connection, etc., are all south, and that one works equally well from the Lincoln Memorial Drive.)
Stercox was a legend. And, of course, a big fan of the domes…

catherwood

I’m rather fond of the three domes at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory — each dome tells a story (of sorts) by recreating a particular climate.

…took a quick look at Wisconsin Avenue Park and there isn’t much there. But I just had another idea.
Pass three, staying west
Let’s say these are the “three storeys of Mitchell” where we started, and now returning you pass them again. So the “fifth” could also be a story, or storey, of Mitchell.
This area is close to Mitchell Park, which is much more interesting than Wisconsin Avenue Park. It has three of these horticultural domes.
http://county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellPar … a10116.htm
(Could that be the missing confirmer, visible from the casque site…? Remember that “casque” means “helmet”. We see a similar-looking helmet worn in image 4.)
(I see people were looking at these way back in 2004.)
World-beating…?
“…world’s first conoidal domes…hailed as a world wonder when they were new…”
Below the bridge
There’s a bridge overhead near the domes. I wonder how accessible that area is, and what it looks like. Wasn’t the Chicago casque also buried near a railway line…?
(Canadian Pacific Railway…that’s the one built by George Stephen of dogleg fame. OK, so he probably had some help.)
Just to clarify, what I’m doing here is following the verse to Lake Park and back on a long circular route, ending up near where you started, then picking out certain lines to try and pinpoint a spot. People looked at this as a starting point for the trail, but did they consider it as a finishing point?

(The Bing version…)
The park was named after Alexander Mitchell (he owned that mansion that became the Wisconsin Club), a railroad man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mitchell_(politician)
His grandson Billy Mitchell has been described as the “father of the US Air Force”…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mitchell_(general)
(Reminds me of that shape in the cloak resembling a plane or shuttle.)
Wonder if the “5th” is connected with Mitchell somehow…(fifth child or something).
“The proud, swaggeringly aggressive Mitchell”…
http://www.anb.org/articles/06/06-00441.html
M – a letter from the country of wonderstone’s hearth. Wonder if that bridge has a name.

WR, great work on working with this image, so I’m sorry to offer a contradictory view, but I’ve only recently discovered the Bing interface, and I’m happy that it gives me a much better image of the tree where I believe the casque to be buried at it’s southern foot.
The park is named after a Polish war hero (a one out of five stars general) who is memorialized on horseback as a statue just a couple dozen paces away from this tree.
The country of wonderstones hearth must be Poland.  I believe it’s a reference to the Holocaust, where Germany = Wonderstone and Poland = gas chambers and cremetoria.

WR – Rereading “Walk 100 paces / Southeast over rock and soil” makes me wonder if the verse simply leads us *across* Lincoln Memorial to the other side of the road, where there are considerably fewer (and at the time, more obvious?) trees to choose from. It would be southeast, after all.

forest_blight

WR – Rereading “Walk 100 paces / Southeast over rock and soil” makes me wonder if the verse simply leads us *across* Lincoln Memorial to the other side of the road, where there are considerably fewer (and at the time, more obvious?) trees to choose from. It would be southeast, after all.

(Yep, I was assuming it took us over the road…didn’t someone once try to argue there was something over the road that could pass for a birch…? But I like the idea of the unexpected return visit to the original “three”. I was also wondering if “…to the first young birch…” might alternatively be some “back to the start” signal to a birch at the beginning of the trail. Also, reflecting that V12 isn’t a straightforward, sequential list of directions from one street to the next, it might be worth opening this up to a less linear interpretation; more a collection of ideas or references.)
At the moment I like Mitchell Park a lot, having only just discovered the dome connection. I’ll be looking for the shape next. AP – do you know that area by the Mitchell Park bridge I’m looking at, or would you consider a visit…?

I don’t know Mitchell Park, but the area downhill from North Point has the distinction of being the only place I have actually dug for hidden treasure (failed, of course) — with our very own Pinetree and Stercox.
I think “fifth” and “pass three staying west” must all refer to birches, since the item that began the list is a birch and there is no indication that we are talking about something different when we get to these latter four.

Also, don’t forget — as ShadowRunner once discovered — that the two red balls in the picture are a very possible visual confirmer for the red tee markers for the golf course in the park.  Which probably means that the casque site is near one of the tees, or you have to pass nearby the tees on your way to the site.
All courses are different and have different tee markers (example
here
).  I doubt this is a coincidence.

In case some of you don’t follow verse 8…
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=727&start=1095#p130152
I just posted a whole bunch of stuff over there (rather then on this board because the other one seems to be more active).

another possible find / probable stretch.  Compare the designs around her collar in the P with the layout of the Elizabethan Gardens (shown as background here)
http://www.outerbanks.com/elizabethangardens/
Now, if this is indeed our P for V11, has anyone tried to match up the outline of the cape with any of the coastlines of NC?  There sure are a lot of them.  Possibly even around [shadow=red,left,300]Cape[/shadow] Hatteras.

could this be the bldg in the background at a slightly different angle?  The domed cupolas are quite similar…
http://www.builtstlouis.net/schools/ittner04.html

Nice pics! I see it. Ah, India India…
Ive forgotten if that Robert Silverberg cover checked out as existing pre1982. I’m not really inclined to thi k this puzzle draws inspiration from it.
I think the juggling pattern and the locust buddy up to a circle theme. It requires smoothing out the wrinkle between he word locust and locus, as in the center point of an arc is the locus. Little things like that make me think of the tricks that fairies play.

Don’t know how I missed this, but MacArther Square, across the street from the old Mitchel house (Wisconsin Club) is named after world war 2 general Douglas MacArther.
View the 3 stories of Mitchel
As you walk the beating of the world
I think I missed it because the statue of MacArther has since been moved, but the plaque on the back used to read…
MacArthur, his father General Arthur MacArthur, and his grandfather judge Arthur McArthur, were all residents of Milwaukee.
Here is the Wiki on the statue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Douglas_MacArthur_(Dean)
At a distance in time from 3 who lived here
Also, there is of course the MacArther Genius Grant that exists, which started in 1981
And the song MacArther Park – which features the harpsichord and was recorded in 1968 and then re-popularized in 1978 by Donna Summers. It talks about MacArther Park in LA, so maybe this is the space? I know I am reaching…
Here is the Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Park_(song)
At a distance in space, from woman with harpsichord
Silently Playing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPMpeNDIGdk&feature=kp

At least you know when you’re ideas are reaching…took me a long time to let some of my far fetched ideas go. I’m still hoping there’s some cool popular music connection to how Byron Preiss put his puzzles together. I tried to fit the song Blackbird from the Beatles’ White album to verse 11, “where white is in color,” where black may be considered a color, because I had an historic reference connected to it on the OBX coast. I also thought Stairway to Heaven applied to something at one point but I won’t get into that. Donna Summers? who knows, if he intended to make a sly reference to MacArthur, then sure, just explain how Donna Summer’s or a strongish lyrics connection is represented in the Pic/Verse.
I just had a thought about “beating of the world”. I’ve thought about several ideas tossed around this forum, anything from beating to do with “winning”, “drumming”, “the heart”, “wings”, “audio speakers”, “kitchen mixers”, and the kneading of dough from an old Germanic word origin for the word “walk” and the idea of punching dough. Nothing’s ever felt quite right except Kenwood St. (Kenwood, the kitchen mixer company from Woking, England) near Lake Park was rather compelling. Anyway, my idea just now involves thinking of beating something flat, so this could have something to do with thinking the world as flat, the sentence then would be “As you walk the flat disc area,” or some road named after someone who was directly involved with the flat earth notion, such as Columbus or any early ocean explorer. Just a thought, no idea where that connects in Milwaukee.

erexere,
That is a nice picture of the hoof, but with
“Belleview Place” being another street in
the immediate Lakepark vicinity, the visual
of a bell is more probable, since we had
references to several other streets in the
verse already.
AP

I’m willing to throw all probability out on it’s arse at this point.  I’m tired of finding myself wrong whenever I try to argue for or against anything, because that becomes a distracting point of view.  I’ve only recently become comfortable with the idea that I’ll never lay claim to a casque should any number of factors might thwart a recovery.  I just felt that anxiety and desire was a distracting motivation.  I must admit I’m overly creative and jumpy, while it’s good for when we are stuck, it’s not good when it derails us from the distinct and correct path. It’s just a matter of possibilities that are tied together, how strong those links are compared to others, and then what amount of thematic cohesion can be applied.
Anyone following my train of thought on image 10/verse 8 should read this update:
I think the birch tree factor is nonsense.  Did Preiss just make up the birch trees?  Wasn’t there no basis for a birch in the Verse 4 Cleveland location?  Can that then be the case here?
I do believe the 92 steps is purposeful in bringing us 3 steps from the top of the Grand Stair only to have us turn around and climb back down to the east entrance of Lake Park.  That doubleback becomes thematic.  The use of “three” is thematic in this verse.
The repetitveness of “at a distance” becomes an indication of twice the distance it takes a person to walk in an hour, the unit known as a league.  It doesn’t take an hour to walk from Mitchell Hall to and through Lake Park.  This doesn’t mean we must walk, but the distance should be the equivalent of walking two hours, i.e. 6 miles.

Could it be not a bell but a hoof?

I focused strongly on three objects in my recent theory which took the hat of the Kosciuszko statue the trunk of the tree in front of Fiesta Garibaldi and the belfry of St. Josaphat.  At the time I believed we entered Kosy Park at the northwest corner and counted birch trees along the western edge.  I think that’s wrong since I’ve been unable to imagine a strong enough link between that corner of the park and the turn off from Mitchell street to the north.  My argument fails to reference the Mitchell Street Bank as I had hoped.  I think I must ignore the shape of the bell in the hand and instead consider it’s the indicator of the “southern foot” of Kosciuszko’s horse.  The hoof is like the fence in image 5, or the wall in image 4.
I’m now considering the following path:
1. Mitchell Hall/Kenwood –> three streets named for Milwaukians –> turn south on Marietta (Artist name for Harpsichord playing woman self portrait)
2. turn east at Locust (faint outline of locust in image) –> Lake Park –> tennis [courts not rackets] (= not noisy = silent) –> Oak Leaf Trail
3. Lincoln Memorial Drive –> Grand Stair –> stop 3 steps short of re-entry to Lake Park and turn back to Lincoln Memorial Drive
4. At the exit 3 sign turn west onto Lincoln Ave –> step on the southeast corner of Kosy Park
5. continue west –> see tree in front of Fiesta Garibaldi –> continue to the south side of Kosciuszko statue
Kosciuszko is an educated (man of letters) from a rural village (the country).
Kosciuszko is a Brigadier General = 1 star rank.  General has up to 5 stars.  1 of 5 = a fifth.  Star = deserving recognition = proud.  Rank = high = tall.
I’m wondering if there’s any weight to the thematic element of walking.
Walk
Beat = an officer’s assigned path (on foot)
Hoof = to walk

Whiterabbit,
I really really think you nailed it when you compared the pose of Solomon Juneau’s plaque scene to this painting. I also think the identifier of his being the first Postmaster in MKE cements that connection and is what served as an inspiration for how Byron Preiss built this puzzle.

well the hand position is from juneau statue, the hood is from the characters on Johnston Hall, the cape is from the assissi painting, and the face is from the lion

There were for sure birch trees along ravine road near the “mill stone” sewer cap. There still IS at least one birch stump but it is dug up and its location may have changed. I saw it 2 weeks ago when i was at the park. I have found old photos online showing birch stumps. There was no pattern or three in a row or anything like that. I don’t know if there were ever birch trees on any other trail in the park. I disagree that there is any evidence that there weren’t any. The trails were rehabbed (totally changed) some time in the early 2000’s I believe, as I have found photos of trails in different conditions including very barren looking. I don’t know the dates of the photos. All of this can be found with a few google searches. My biggest question is why narrow down the clue to a number of paces and then after that have people walk for blocks to some other location?? That doesn’t make sense to me. Anyway I just wanted to clear up some speculation I saw here.

MrBackstop

Let me add something to my solve that I just noticed over the weekend.
The light blue highlighted part of the top of the woman’s cape cape has been mentioned to be shaped like the coastline of Lake Michigan from about the Lion Bridges down to the Marina area. The bottom side of the light blue part of the cape is from the Lighthouse down to and around North Point Park, then up to the Marina.
Notice the phallic looking shape in the triangular part of the cape? That is the North Point Water Tower hidden in plain sight.

Yes sir, glad someone else is looking for these things.

drunknerds

This was almost definitely recreated for B-Roll, but when Josh and JJP are talking about Preiss’ photos they cut to this:
What is that one on the right, is that the bowl thing from Cleveland?

I’m pretty sure that Palencar said that he destroyed all of the photos and information that was used to create the paintings. He was also tight lipped and it seemed that he planned on keeping it that way out of respect for his friendship with Preiss. To me, that is a solid way to go about this thing. If he actually has pictures and shared them with anyone, especially a TV show, that seems like the dick way to go about this thing.

BINGO

I’m pretty sure that Palencar said that he destroyed all of the photos and information that was used to create the paintings. He was also tight lipped and it seemed that he planned on keeping it that way out of respect for his friendship with Preiss. To me, that is a solid way to go about this thing. If he actually has pictures and shared them with anyone, especially a TV show, that seems like the dick way to go about this thing.

I think drunknerds was saying and I believe it too, that these Polaroids were recreated for the show. They went and took some shots nowadays of various things assumed to be connected with the hunt.

gManTexas

I think drunknerds was saying and I believe it too, that these Polaroids were recreated for the show. They went and took some shots nowadays of various things assumed to be connected with the hunt.

Well you never know, the type of plastic fencing in the bottom of the central picture was patented in 2001, so BP could have had a time machine…

maltedfalcon

Well you never know, the type of plastic fencing in the bottom of the central picture was patented in 2001, so BP could have had a time machine…

This seems to be the theme lately. I suspect that he will be present to hand over a gem stone for the next casque. We can call it the Preiss Paradox.

Let me add something to my solve that I just noticed over the weekend.
The light blue highlighted part of the top of the woman’s cape cape has been mentioned to be shaped like the coastline of Lake Michigan from about the Lion Bridges down to the Marina area. The bottom side of the light blue part of the cape is from the Lighthouse down to and around North Point Park, then up to the Marina.
Notice the phallic looking shape in the triangular part of the cape? That is the North Point Water Tower hidden in plain sight.

This was almost definitely recreated for B-Roll, but when Josh and JJP are talking about Preiss’ photos they cut to this:
What is that one on the right, is that the bowl thing from Cleveland?

There have been questions about the color of the stone in image 10.
If it is an amethyst, why isn’t it purple?
I Googled on “Blue Amethyst” and here is what  I found.
http://tinyurl.com/2v4j7o
It looks similar to the light blue color of the jewel in image 10.
Amethyst can be found in Idar-Oberstein district of Germany.
You learn something new every day!
AP

The following is not meant to offend or be argumentative, but only reflects my opinion.
I tend not to believe that Palencar made that gem blue on purpose, but perhaps got it wrong accidentally, or perhaps the original artwork shows a more pronounced purplish hue. I have
never
seen a blue amethyst, and even the one you showed us pictured is quite suspicious as amethyst, according to the research I’ve done. The lightest lavender stones of ameythyst might take on a bluiISH tint, but that stone in your URL location is downright sky blue—and no where have I seen any indication that amethyst is ever any color but some shade of purple, or yellow (when heated–that’s what citrine is.)
I’m not believing a
blue
amethyst, no matter what they say. I’ve seen too many of them, and even if they were rare, I think I’d have run across the variant at least once. I have attended numerous gem shows and rock shows–and have never even heard of a blue one–but you best believe that I’m going to ask about them next time I go!
Thing is, quartz can be almost any color, and be called almost anyTHING someone wants to call it. Every year someone who makes synthetic stones comes up with a new variation–look at all the “topaz” variations: Fire, Mystic, Pink, Opal, Blue, Sea Mist, even white. When I was a kid, topaz were gold or yellow. Now, I expect to see them in any color. So who knows…it’s possible, I guess, but in my experience, I don’t think likely.
Yet…..there it is. So who knows?

She,
I agree that amethyst is universally acknowledged to be purple.
Here is a poem that I found that begs to differ.
It does not prove anything, but it does make one think that
there may be something to the idea that amethyst just
may
be blue, too.
AP
http://www.lovepoetry.com/poem.asp?x_id=7170

nemers

Does anyone still think there is a “February” theme?

I think February, being recognized as the shortest month, is part of the reason why Preiss chose the Amethyst as a jewel for the dwarves…being short and all.

Does anyone still think there is a “February” theme?

ok, here you go folks.
http://groups.msn.com/Dylansfinalfantas … hotoID=651
I think this is the angle our new member Designer was referring to (closest match I could find)… it even has the little”upward jutting area between the 2 towers” P10 has.  I dont know about the rest of you but I would consider this a DEFINITE match….added with the rebus found some time ago dealing with the objects being juggled….. (MIL)lston,  (WALK)ing cane, & (KEY) = Milwaukee.
now comes the hard part again…..WHAT V?  arrgh!